Once Upon A Memory
by Wondering What Breakfast Is
Summary: Hermione never really forgot that winter seven years ago. Who could? People change, and memories fade, but they were different. They were still the same kids they were that December. Set during GoF. R&R!


_**A/N: I live. Amazingly. Oh yes, for any of you who are reading ANY of my lovely fics, and have your knifes and pitchforks ready to use with the aid of a small-minded French mob, please don't kill me. I will update! Eventually! I swear! I'm allowing you to attack me with PMs if you want to.**_

But attacking me with reviews is MUCH more efficient, in my opinion.

Anywho, this is my first attempt on a Hermione/?? Too bad the character thingies RUIN it. I realized that too late.

Inspired by two things. One, the Youtube vid "Once Upon A December" by whyttedahl, reffered by SomedayEngland. It's one part HP, one part Narnia! And it is AMAZING!

Two, it was inspired by 'Forever or Never" by Cinema Bizarre. Good song. Look it up, will yah?

Dedicated to SomedayEngland, who I owe the world to, and FlamingGirl, who betaed (sp?) this and has so kindly not held my sucky beta skills against me. I broke my promise to her... (GUILT ATTACK!)

Enjoy being Sherlock for a oneshot. Really try solving it!

XOXO

Memories can be reawakened at the most interesting times.

Hermione knew that all too well.

Sitting in her dorm, watching the rain fall in sheets, she thought about the boy that had made her remember a winter almost seven years previous.

_"Ooh, Hermione, look at him!" Lavender squealed. "He is SO handsome!"_

"And, he's soaking wet!" Parvati giggled.

"Not to mention he's getting water all over the Hall." Hermione stated, not taking her eyes off her book.

Parvati whipped the book out of her hand. "Look at him."

And she had.

His hair had fallen into his eyes, and his robes clung to him. He was shaking from the freezing water, and his eyes met Hermione's. And a memory came back.

_A soaking wet seven-year old pulled herself out of the water, and was more than angry at the dry kid holding in a laugh._

"Why'd you do that?" Hermione glared at the boy. "The water's not any warmer with a coat on!"

The brunette boy grinned. "I know. But you're cute when you're angry."

She smirked. "And you're cute when you're wet."

"But I'm not wet."

Hermione smirked, and pushed the ten-year-old in the water. "Now you are."

Hermione had returned to reading her book, and smiled a bit at the memory. The boy was still the same...

He entered his name in the goblet, and both of their faces lit up along with the blue flame.

But she didn't dare look at him when she got up to leave.

_"Hermione!" The young man called her name across the hall. Hermione had no choice but to turn and look at him._

"Yes?" She said, hoping her hunch had been right.

He grabbed her hand. "You're cute when you're reading."

Hermione jerked her hand away from his, not because she didn't like him, but because of something far deeper.

She had felt the spark when their hands met, and it was burning strong.

A few months passed since Hermione had been within two feet of him, and now winter had made it's arrival known.

There was also a ball in a few weeks, and Hermione hoped her 'memory man' would ask her.

During a class outside, Hermione gazed at him, hoping to trigger some more memories.

_"Well, well. 'Mione's a princess today, is she?" The hazel-eyed boy laughed. "What does that make me? A peasant?"  
Hermione picked up her skirt daintily, and ran over to her friend. "No, that makes you a prince."_

"Does this prince get to carry a sword and defend the princess?"

"Does he want to?"

The boy chuckled. "Of course he does!" He tickled her, and soon both were laughing hysterically.

"Let's play hide and seek!" Hermione giggled. But her face turned solemn. "Can royalty do that?"

He thought about it for a second, and a mischeivous grin spread across his face. "One... Two..."

Hermione smiled to herself, and nudged Ron to wake him up. It was amazing how he could fall asleep during a lesson.

At least her boy didn't do that.

As the days passed, Rita Skeeter, a journalist from the "Daily Prophet" that had been making her life hell, had started writing more lies about her, Harry, and Viktor. She was a strong girl. She could handle that woman on her own.

But her defenses were fading. Anyone could see that.

She went to the library to study, or at least pretend to, so she could think about the properties of Amorentia instead of the multiple pairings she had been thrown in.

And that's when Viktor asked her to the ball.

She hesitantly said yes. Her 'memory man' had been sending her signs for a while, but hadn't acted on them. She couldn't wait any longer.

_"Hermy-own!" Viktor shouted down the hall. "I vas vondering if you'd like to be my date to the ball."_

Hermione blushed. "Well, um, Viktor, I'm actually-"

"-You haff a date, don't you?" His face fell, and she took a deep breath.

"No... So I'd like to go with you."

He smiled at her. "Veally?! Vell, that is vonderful! Thank you!" He kissed her and was off.

Hermione had been on a high from Viktor asking, and, just for the fun of it, decided to take a walk down by the lake.

That's were she ran into her memory man.

_She called his name across the grass, and he ran over to meet her._

"Hermione!" He laughed, and the two linked arms.

After lauging and talking about the Triwizard Tournament, Hermione and the young man stopped walking, and he faced her.

"Hermione, would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?"  
Hermione's smiled faded. So he WAS going to ask her!

But it was too late.

_"I-"_

"I mean, as friends if you feel awkward, but... Y'know..."

She sighed. "I'm sorry, but I said I'd go with Viktor Krum."

"Oh." The young man nodded. "Okay..."

Hermione grabbed his shoulder. "But save me a dance or ten, will ya? It's not everyday we get to dress up and be awkward in a transformed Great Hall!"

He laughed, and ruffled her hair. "Y'know, even if you are in your fourth year, you're still my ticklish seven-year-old princess."

She slapped his upper am, and gave him a playful smile. "And I don't care if you are a Triwizard Champion, you're still my ten-year-old fearless prince."

Hazel eyes met choclate brown, and he smiled. "Always and forever."

Several more days passed, and it was finally December 24th. The date of the Yule Ball. Hermione hummed around her dorm, twirling while getting ready. She remembered another time she had gotten dressed up.

_"Aw, come on, you don't look that bad." Hermione laughed._

"Yes I do! I'm not walking outside in this." The boy grumbled.

Hermione gave the puppy-dog pout. "Pwease?"

"Oh alright!" The brunette boy walked out, head held high, and looking absolutely dashing with a cape around his neck, and a sword sheathed on his side.

"Let's have my father crown us!" she squealed.

"Silly, you already have your crown on!"

Hermione touched her head. "Oh yeah... So can I crown you?"

The boy kneeled and she placed the crown on his head. "You're now a prince!"

"And since we're royalty, what say you to a dance?"

She grinned, and it's safe to say only those two could be regal while dancing the Macarena.

Hermione had put her hair perfectly, and she picked out her blue dress special for him. Everything was set in place, And she sasheyed out the door toward the Hall.

Nothing could ruin this night.

_Hermione peered around the corner, and saw the huge crowd of Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons students milling in the Entrance Hall. Ron looked like a complete fool in his robes, but a very cute fool. Harry was sweating bullets with Parvati on his arm, and she felt sort of sorry for her friend. Poor boy was awkward enough as it was..._

And there was Viktor, standing tall and proud, waiting for her.

But where was her 'Memory man'?

She could wait for her boy to show himself, and leave Viktor hanging.

Or do the right thing.

Hermione took a deep breath and held her skirts the way a princess would. This was a moment worth remembering.

She held her head high, and smiled shyly. No one looked her way, except for five pairs of eyes.

Viktor, Harry, Parvati, Cho...

And the young man she had been searching for.

_She made eye contact with him from the middle steps, and he winked at her. 'You look beautiful.' He mouthed, and a pink tinge appeared on her cheeks._

Once she reached the bottom, Viktor extended his arm, and she took it happily. Into the Great Hall the Triwizard Champions and their partners went, Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies leading, and Harry and Parvati bringing up the rear.

Hermione smiled at Viktor, and she thought he was handsome with his dark hair and eyes. But he wasn't her hazel-eyed, brunette prince.

No one could replace him.

_The music started, and Viktor and Hermione whirled around the room effortlessly. It was a wonderful feeling, but it didn't feel right._

After several dances, Viktor went to go talk to some of his Durmstrang friends, leaving Hermione to find the man she'd promised ten dances to.

"Well well well, if it isn't Princess Hermione!" A smooth voice said from behind her.

She giggled. "And my prince looks dashing as ever!"

He flicked his hair back, and he gave her a smile that made her melt. "Y'know I wake up looking like this!" He teased.

She gasped in feigned surprise. "No! You look like some god twenty-four seven?!"

"You better believe it!" The pair laughed, and he scanned over her. "And what about you? You're look especially stunning tonight!"

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Hermione blushed a shade of red that could make a Weasley jealous. He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor where they had the time of their lives.

But she broke away from him so she could say goodnight to Viktor, Harry, and Ron.  
Her farewell to Viktor was simple enough. He kissed her hand, and promised to see her again. But Ron... Ron was always difficult.

_Barely anyone was in the Entrance Hall. A few Ravenclaw and Slytherin girls gathered to the side, and there were a few Hufflepuff boys laughing on the stairs._

Ron was fuming, and Hermione's face was screwed up in anger.

"Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" She yelled, her hair falling down, stray pieces landing in front of her eyes.

"Oh yeah?" Ron yelled back, his face red, and his hair flaming. "What's that?"

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"

Ron was at a loss for words, and struggled to find a comeback. "Well-" He sputtered. "Well- that just proves- completely missed the point-"

Hermione let the tears that had been welling up in her eyes fall, and she shouted "Ron, Harry. Bed. Now!"

Harry extended a hand to console Hermione, but she pushed him away. "Just GO!" She sobbed. "GO!"

That night was horrible. Leave it to Ron to ruin it for her.

Hermione sunk to her knees, unable to support herself any longer. She kicked off her heels, and brought her knees to her face.

Nothing could make this better.

_"Excuse me, fair princess, but what villain has made you shed tears?"_

Well, maybe SOMEONE could make it better.

_Hermione brushed the tears away from her face, and gave the young man a sad smile through blotchy red eyes. "Ronald Weasley isn't a villain. He's just a stubborn insensitive boy."_

The young man laughed softly. "Alright, then what stubbon insensitive boy has made you shed tears?"

"Ronald Weasley..." She muttered.

The man hugged her and pulled out a hankerchief from inside his jacket. "Here." He said. "You need it."

She laughed, and blew her nose ungracefully. "Ugh, that was disgusting."

"I know."

"Can I still be a princess?" She joked.

"You'll always be my princess."

Winter melted into spring, a Triwizard challenge passing with it, and spring blossomed into summer. Hermione had patched things up with Ron, but there was something different between them. It was fine for the present time, but it wouldn't last much longer.

May faded into June seamlessly, and all four champions were on edge. Anyone close to any of the champions was on edge as well.

And Hermione was close to more than one. Sometimes she thought that all of this was too much for a fourteen-year-old to handle.

But she was Hermione Granger. She could handle anything!

Right?

The day of final challenge came, and Hermione did what she needed to, saying good luck to her best friend and her boyfriend.

But there was something else she needed to do.

Hermione ran to the quidditch pitch and searched for her boy. Even among the chaos he was very easy to find.

_He was talking to his father, chatting nervously. The older man wasn't going to miss this moment for anything in the world._

Hermione waved to the duo, and both responded by waving eagerly. She wove her way through the crowd to them.

"Uh, sir, could I borrow your son for a minute?" She asked shyly.

The older man gave her a jolly clap on the back. "Hermione, he's known you for forever. You're allowed to grab him and go." He gave her a wink from behind his glasses, and Hermione and the boy were off.

There was something she wanted to tell him. And she had to tell him now.

_"Listen, I'm so proud of you, and as much as Harry is my best friend, I'm still rooting for you."_

The boy blushed, and ran a hand through his hair. "'Mione, thanks... And there's something I want to tell you."

The pitch's sounds faded away, and all Hermione could hear was her heart beating wildly inside her chest. The world had slowed down around her, but it didn't matter. All that mattered were the three words he said.

"I love you."

_Hermione was shocked speechless. She could only squeak out "What?"_

"I love you." He repeated, firm and confident, but full of fear at the same time.

Hermione couldn't believe it. He LOVED her. Her memory man felt something for her.

She smiled at him. "You have no idea how wonderful it is to hear you say that." She rose to her tip-toes, and pressed her lips to his.

Hermione had no idea what she was doing, but it felt good.

It felt right.

_She pulled away, and he was grinning from ear to her._

Hermione laughed. "And if it wasn't obvious, I love you too."

Both faces fell when the other champions walked out onto the pitch. "Please be careful. I don't want you to get hurt."

He hugged her tightly. "Aw, Hermione. A prince can't leave his princess unprotected."

She nodded, and laughed. "I can't believe you remembered that December. That was ages ago."

"More like once upon a time." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "I'm so sorry, but now I have to go. Y'know... Vanquish a few monsters, conquer a tournament."

Hermione smiled, and they kissed once more. He pulled his hand away from hers, and she whispered three words for him.

"Good luck, Cedric."

XOXO

_**Another A/N: A bittersweet ending...**_

Couldn't bear to write Ced's death. I would've sobbed for weeks if I had.

Sorry if this whole thing confuses you. But I wanted the last word of this oneshot to be his name! And if you check, his name is used once.

I think I like this style of writing. Changes it up a bit. I really need to experiment more.

See the blurple button? He's lonely. If you love this, hate this, love me, hate me, let me know! I want your honest opinion. Really!

So review!


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